Wednesday, April 8, 2009

I have created a new blog JUST for knitting stuff. Though, I'll most likely mention it in here when I post something there.

So, for those who didn't know or haven't heard, here's the update.

On Wednesday night my folks came to visit from the West coast. We had a lovely visit and on Thursday night we went out to dinner at Rhinehart's Oyster Bar. Everyone loved it, even the kids. We decided that we weren't gorged quite enough and went to The Evil Empire for some dessert. When we got home, the lights were all off. Well, we left in the day time and probably turned them off. But the motion-detector light didn't come on. And there was that funny smell. Kind of like an electrical fire smell. And tons of black smoke billowing out of the laundry room.

My wonderful parents coralled the kids while we sorted out who to call and what to do. Georgia Power turned off the electricity at the meter (but later had to go back and turn it off at the street) and we called an electrician and our home-owner's insurance guys. Every one except for GA Power was great.

The house was built in 1955 and had the original breaker panel and service. It was at 100 amps, which is plenty. If you don't have an electric dryer and a computer and a microwave and a TV and another TV and a stereo and about a bajillion extra lights (even if they are CFLs). The Aluminum wire coming into the house (that's right, Aluminum, not copper) expanded and contracted, becoming loose where it connected to the copper wire at our breaker box. It arced and started an electrical fire that melted large portions of the breaker box, including the main breaker, and the wires going into the box AND coming out of the box.

On Tuesday late morning, the electricians came back and turned everything on. The power got turned on on Monday sometime after five pm (we had already headed back to Columbia, where our insurance company could afford a hotel. They just didn't want to pay $400 a night for one in town. Go figure.). GA Power would have been out sooner, but some tree got knocked over at the Masters.

So the plumber came out today to fix the drain (wholly unrelated. Yay!!) and sometime real soon I get to call ServPro. I've been putting it off. I'm not sure why. It's just not something I'm looking forward to.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

This is my first pattern ever ever that I ever wrote and I wrote it all by myself. *Grin* So, if you knit, or know how to read a knit pattern, or if you can read English, I'd appreciate your editing skills.

The I’m-Not-Thinking-About-It Scarf

This is a double-sided scarf. Think of it as two scarves on one needle - whenever you knit a stitch in the CC on scarf A, purl the next stitch in the CC for scarf B. The end result is a scarf that has two layers. The outsides of the layers are all knit stitches. Purl sides are inside, as are the strands of yarn from the color pattern. Side B will be a photographic negative of side A. This will work with any two colors and graphic design, so long as there are an odd number of stitches in each color, making the total number of stitches even.

* Stitches should be a little loose and will tighten after washing garment. I never check gauge.

Cast on 21 stitches of each color on one needle, alternating colors each stitch.

Row 1: Work all stitches K1, P1, holding both strands together. This will mean that all stitches in color A are knitted, and all stitches in color B are purled. This row will establish the Main Color (MC) for each side (MC is always knit).Strands of yarn should be held together (and worked separately) behind knitted stitches and in front of purled stitches. At the end of each row, twist strands once to create a bound edge.

Row 2: Start row 1 of chart, maintaining 2 stitches on either side of the pattern in the MC of that side. When the color chart calls for a stitch in CC, knit that stitch in the CC and purl the next stitch in the MC for that side (CC for the other side).

All rows should be worked K1, P1.**

Row 3-7: Work rows 2-7 of chart, maintaining 2 sts on either side of the pattern in the MC of that side, working pattern as above.

Repeat rows 8-13 of chart until scarf measures approximately 55 inches, ending with row 13. Begin next repeat at Row 32 of chart.

Work one row after row 33 of chart in the MC for each side.

Binding Off: Knit one stitch onto empty needle (Color A). Move next stitch (Color B) onto cable needle (CN). Knit third stitch onto empty needle and lift first stitch off needle and over third stitch (as in a normal bind off). One stitch of color A should be bound off, leaving one stitch of Color A on the needle, and one stitch of Color B on the CN.Move the stitch from the CN (Color B) onto the fuller needle and knit it onto the empty needle. Move the next stitch from the fuller needle to the CN (Color A), knit the next stitch (Color B) onto empty needle, lift previous stitch off of needle and over next stitch (as in normal bind-off).Place stitch on CN (Color A) back onto fuller needle and knit onto the emptier needle. Place next stitch (Color B) onto the CN and knit next stitch (Color A) onto the Bind Off needle. Continue in this manner.

Finishing: Using tapestry needle, weave loose ends into the middle of the scarf and trim.Using cardboard as a base, wind first one color and then the other around the cardboard and cut, making several 4” lengths of yarn in each color.Fold one length of each color in half and use crochet hook to pull through one cast-on or bind-off stitch of both layers of scarf, and then to pull ends of length through loop, to make fringe.Hand wash in luke-warm water with gentle detergent, re-shape and lay flat to dry.

About Me

Five cats, two kids, one spouse, and a host of hobbies and interests that mostly take back-seat to school. I work and knit or spin, and if I'm lucky, I make time for writing, too. I like to cook, but do so rarely. I like soccer and hiking. I love the beach and I love warm, sunny days outside, but I also like cold rainy days with movies, knitting and soup.